High School Havoc
by allamericankat
Summary: What happens when you take a handful of SWAT Kats characters, make them teens, and put them in High School? One way to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**It's me again! This idea had been hanging about for a while now, so I decided to try it. **

**DISCLAIMER: SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron belongs to Hanna-Barbera. I own nothing.**

**(With the exception of an oc and a few teachers...)**

**Enjoy!**

"Jake! Jake!" The insistant call sounded, nearly lost in the hubub of the hall. Jake lifted his head, adjusting the gaudy thick-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose. There was no one he recognised anywhere nearby. Once again he submerged himself halfway into his locker as he gathered the desired books he needed.

"Jake!" The voice sounded again, this time more irritated. Jake backed out of the locker. This time he saw someone he knew coming down the hall through the crowd. A flash of blonde hair caught his eye.

"I've been looking all over for you, Jake!" The she-kat exclaimed, smoothing her magenta skirt. It was none other than Callie Briggs, the most popular she-kat to walk these halls, and there she stood in front of Jake, the kat many would refer to as 'that nerd'.

"C-callie!" Jake stood upright so quickly he nearly blacked out. "H-h-how are you? -I mean! -How can I help you?" he stammered.

"Well it's just that my older brother is running for class president and...I was wondering if you could do some advertising." Callie replied, swishing her hair all over the place.

"Who, me?" Jake was confused. Of all the kats in the school -namely the artists who graffitied the city in their spare time, why did she come to him?

"Sorry to be the one to break it to you, Callie, but I can't draw so much as a wobbly stick-kat." Jake told her.

"Who said anything about 'drawing'? You spend more time behind a computer than anybody I know. Surely you can think of something." Callie pleaded. Jake sighed, once more pushing the glasses back into place where they had slipped oddly to the left.

"So...like an animated notice on the wall or something...?" He asked. He couldn't function right with the girl of his dreams standing right there swishing her hair.

"Whatever it takes. You clearly have a good head on your shoulders. You'll think of something. Let me see it by Friday, okay?" Callie replied, pulling the strap of her book bag onto her shoulder.

"But, I-!"

"-Thanks, Jake! Bye!" And like that Callie vanished into the crowd. Jake thumped his forehead against his locker with a groan.

"Bruin fakes left, -now right! This aussie is unstoppable! The stands are shaking! The fans are on their feet shouting 'Bruin! Bruin!'." Baylee shouted, her voice echoing in the vast gym room. The solid 'tham!', 'tham!', 'tham!' of the basketball hitting the floor did little to drown her out.

"Bruin's moving towards the net. Feints right, fakes left. She shoots!-"

_KAwump!_ The ball tumbled around the outer rim of the net before slipping off the outer side and falling to the floor with a bang. Baylee's shoulders sagged.

"Dang it..." she muttered.

"Tough luck." A voice said from the back of the stadium. Baylee turned swiftly, fists clenched.

"Don't tell me you could have done better." She retorted, "Felina."

Felina raised her hand as she approached, "Relax, hot-shot. Watch and learn." She grabbed the ball and dribbled it across the floor, faking left against an imaginary opponent. She sprinted up to the white line and leaped, letting the ball fly from her hand. With a firm _WUMP!_ the ball slipped cleanly through the net. Felina turned around, swinging her black hair over her shoulder.

"That's how it's done." She told Baylee, slamming the ball into her hands. A peircing ring of a bell caught pulled Baylee out of her fuming bubble of irritation.

"Come on, red!" Felina called to her, pushing through the double doors.

"Drongo! I told you not to call me that!" Baylee shouted, chucking the ball at the closed door. It bounced off and rolled some distance away.

The squeak of sneakers on the empty hall floor echoed down the hall. The silence only reminded him even more that he was fifteen minutes late. The cumbersome backpack he wore slammed it's contents against him with evety step. Finally he reached the door to his class and stumbled into the room, trying not to make that big a deal that he was there. He slunk into the room and ever-so-silently slid into his seat.

At the front of the room, a tall kat, thin as a twig with a mouth drawn as though he was sucking on something really sour, turned around and looked overtop his glasses at the class. Then in a voice of impending doom he called out,

"Chance Furlong!" Chance's eyes grew wide. He looked up, nervousy striken on his face.

"Yes sir." He replied.

"You're late." The tall, thin kat growled, now looking down at him from _under_ his glasses. Chance started to shrug.

" Mr Sandre', I was-"

"-Don't shrug!" ' barked. Chance snapped to attention.

"Yessir, I-"

" Mr Furlong, if this should repeat itself I will be forced to call on your parents." ' told him.

"Y-yes sir." Chance stammered. Some kats were snickering.

"Very well. What is your home number so that I can contact your father if the need should arise?" ' asked. Chance felt a cold sweat break out at that question.

"I-I..." He stuttered.

"Speak up!" ' snapped.

"I don't have a father, sir." Chance replied in a voice louder than he'd wanted to use. Mr Sandre' sniffed at him scornfully.

"Very well, your mother then."

Chance glanced around the room at the scoffing eyes that gawked at him. He clenched his teeth, keeping his mouth shut tightly as so not to sigh aloud. He pulled out a pen and scratched his phone number onto a peice of paper and handed it to Mr Sandre'. Mr Sandre' took it with two fingers.

"I trust," He said, looking over his shoulder as walked away, "that he died of natural causes."

Chance knew the scorn behind that. He looked around the room once more that the glittering eyes of the snickering class before turning his eyes to his desk. His father was most likely very much alive, -he didn't know, but he most likely was. Everybody he inquired of told him his father left when he was a kitten.

"Chance!" A feminine voice called as everyone was leaving. Chance turned around on the steps to find Baylee coming towards him. She came alongside him, panting from running. They resumed walking.

"What was Mr Sandre' trying to do? He's so pigheaded sometimes!" Baylee ranted, her small hands were clenched into fists.

"I dunno. It's not like other kats in that class haven't come up with out a dad before, it just seems like I'm the laughing stock of all of 'em. It's like...they know something that I don't." Chance replied, watching his feet as he and Baylee walked along.

"I swear sometimes I could just...-" Baylee was cut off as Chance had stopped walking.

"W-...oh crud." Chance muttered, looking across the school yard. "Not again. Don't these guys have a life!?"

Baylee followed Chance's gaze and spotted a crowd of about four or five shoving around a brown-furred kat. Chance stormed towards them before Baylee could stop him.

"We' told ya, we ain't leavn' till we get that money!" A big black kat growled, crushing the smaller kat against the side of the building.

"Get off of me! I told you, I don't have it!" The brown-furred kat was saying.

"Maybe you can negotiate wit' im." The black kat told his crony, an orange kat with scraggly fur riddled with black flea eggs. The orange kat punched his palm once or twice, moving up on the small brown kat.

"Don't hurt me!" The brown kat begged.

"What'cha gonna do about it?" The orange baffoon jeered. Suddenly a fist plunged into the side of his head like a determined express train. Chance stood over him, brown eyes alight with anger.

"Anybody else who takes one step closer to the little guy gets a taste of their own living guts. Got it?" Chance snapped, fists clenched as solid as anvils. The black kat and few of his cronies backed off. The orange kat got up, whimpering, a hand clutching his jaw and slunk away.

"Come on. Let's get outta here." The black kat snarled. Like wimps they retreated, tails between their legs. Chance turned around to the the small brown kat.

"You still in one piece there?" He asked. The brown kat nodded, picked his glasses out of the dirt.

"Yeah, thanks." He muttered. Baylee came running, grabbing Chance's arm.

"What were you thinking? You can't just go around hitting kats, mate! What if Mister Sandre' saw that just now?! He would've suspended you for who knows how long!" She exclaimed. Chance removed her hand with a shrug.

"I've dealt with kats like them before. They're just a bunch of big sissies looking for attention." He replied, walking away. Baylee followed.

"Well they bloody got their fair share." She stated. "Who was that kat anyway? The brown one."

"I think his name is Clawson, Jake Clawson. He's not too popular. I don't think he has too many friends either." Chance told her as they turned right and headed down the street.

"Well..." Baylee began, kicking a rock out of the street and into the bushes with her sandal, "Maybe he needs somebody he can lean on. I would have been one lost jillaroo if you hadn't tripped over me in the hallway that day."

"Baylee, no." Chance replied, waving a hand, "I barely know this guy. Besides he's a...-well, he's a nerd. We'd never hit it off. And besides, I've already got enough trouble without adding 'bodygaurd' to the list."

"Oh come on, Chance! He just needs a friend. A little nudge in the ribs and he'll warm right up." Baylee told him.

"Stop it. You sound like a narrator from a kid's show." Chance replied, running his fingers through his blonde fur. Baylee was quiet for only a few seconds. Then she struck up again.

"You need him too, mate." She told him, slightly cut off at the end as Chance groaned.

"Oh don't start that! -Okay, subject change!" He shouted. Silence ensued.

"Your stripes are cute." Baylee said randomly.

"What the heck?"

"Well you said-"

"-I know! I know! I didn't mean move from one awkward topic to an even more awkward topic." Chance retorted. Baylee sighed, harpooning her hands into the pockets of her green shorts. The next street they turned onto was busy, dotted with kats walking here and there. They weaved in and out of crowds, making their way towards the sea-food shop. That was the 'landmark'; the wooden fish sign that stuck out over the doorway. As they passed, Baylee plugged her nose. She, unlike most kats, couldn't stand the aroma of fish. They passed under the fish sign and continued down the alley.

"So, what should I do? -If I was going to...you know, 'be friends' with this Clawson guy?" Chance asked.

"Obvious answer to that question, you dill. Just say 'hi'." Baylee replied.

"'Hi'...great. I'm gonna look like an idiot." Chance mumbled.

"You'll do fine." Baylee told him as they turned left onto her street.

"Right...hey, I have a game tonight at 7:00. Think you can make it?" Chance asked.

"Well, I've got basketball practice at 6:30. It'll be cutting it close, mate, but I'll give it a burl anyway." Baylee replied. Chance wasn't quite sure what that meant but he took it as a 'maybe', and smiled.

"I'll catch you later, mate." Baylee told him, sprinting up the front steps to the door.

"Later." Chance replied. Baylee vanished inside and shut the door. Chance headed for home.

***Groan* Ugh...this was really starting to get dull towards the end! Hope I didn't bore any of you. It'll get better. Meanwhile, I've gotta go study up on how to write about a football game. *face-desk* **


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I'm back. **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron. **

**I own my OC, obviously. Anyway...**

The next day rolled around faster than Baylee could keep up with. She found herself standing beside her locker in the hallway, yawning as she collected her books. A voice made her look up.

"Hey," It was Chance. Baylee stood up straight, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.

"Oh, hey Chance." She greeted.

"You look exhausted. What'd you do last night, anyway?" Chance asked, a hand on his hip.

"Yeah, about that. Sorry about the game, mate. My coach kept me late. I can't score a hoop to save my tail. How did you do?" Baylee replied, she then noticed the white gauze peeking out from beneath Chance's right sleeve. "And what happened?"

"Oh...that- it's just a little sore. No big deal." Chance replied.

"So, the game...how'd it go?" Baylee asked.

"Uh..." Chance shrugged, wincing as he did so. "I-it was...okay...we- uh...lost." he muttered.

"Crud..." Baylee replied, "Well...that's no good, mate."

A trio of kats walked by, smirking. "Hey, s'that the guy who showed up Frankie yesterday?" One said.

"Yeah," A cream-colored she-kat with long blonde bangs replied, "He's not as intimidating as he looks. He's just one of the jocks."

"Jocks?" A white-furred tom asked, cocking a brow. A red-furred kat grabbed his shoulder.

"You know, 'jocks'. Knows everything about football, has the I.Q. of a doorknob?!" The red kat yucked it up. Baylee couldn't stop Chance from charging across the hall in two strides and pinning the red kat to the wall by the throat.

"You know what else jocks can do? Crush skulls!" He hissed.

"S-s-sorry bub! We didn't mean no harm! H-h-honest!" The red kat choked.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Of course the voice belonged to none other than Mr Sandre'. The tall, thin kat came stalking down the halls. Kats cleared a path, watching, whispering, all of their glittering eyes fixed on Chance.

"What in the name of kats do you think you're doing?!" Mr Sandre' wrenched Chance's arm off of the red kat. "That's enough out of you Chance Furlong! You're suspended! -For a week, confound it!"

Baylee gasped, a hand over her mouth. Her emerald green eyes were wide. Mr Sandre' had the red kat by the arm.

"And you, Richard Winston, mind your own business!" He tossed Richard back with his buddies and walked back down the hall from where he'd come. After he'd left everyone resumed their business. The name 'Chance' floated around the whispering din more than once. Chance stood in the middle of the moving hall, looking dejected as an abandonned puppy.

"Chance!" Baylee cried, shouldering through the crowd to him. She came up to him, clutching his wrist.

"What were you thinking...?" She asked, shaking her head. Chance clenched his eyes closed.

"I don't take that garbage from anybody, Baylee." That was alll he said. He pushed past her and proceeded down the hall.

The phone's high-pitched trill rang out. Jake thrust himself off of his bed to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" He mentally kicked himself in the tail for sounding so nervous.

"H-hey." Came a stammering voice he wasn't familiar with.

"Who is this?" Jake asked, flexing his hand on the phone nervously.

"I-it's uh...Chance, -Chance Furlong." Came the reply.

"W-who?" Jake was so confused.

"I kinda...dropped in and saved your tail a few days ago." Chance explained.

"Oh, you're that guy. I-I meant to thank you for that, I-I'm just a little...nervous...about these things, -I-I-I mean to say...I'm just...not used to it." Jake stammered.

"Yeah...so, uh...how're you doing?" Chance asked, slapping his forehead and swearing.

"That was stupid..." he muttered to himself.

"Beg pardon?" Jake asked in bewilderment.

"I mean...how are you getting along?" Chance asked, pacing back and forth in his room. It was a mess. He kicked a few clothes out of the way with his foot as he paced.

"Well I uh...I don't know. Fine, I guess...I've been just...y'know...taking it easy." Jake replied, still very much confused.

"Yeah..." Chance couldn't find anything else to say. Silence fell over the line. Why had he done this anyway?!

"You?" Jake asked him.

"What?" Chance asked, pushing the ice pack back onto his blonde shoulder before it slipped off.

"I mean, how are you doing...? I heard you guys had a big game the other night." Jake told him.

"Oh sure, yeah. It went great." Chance lied, lying down on his bed with a stifled sigh.

"...I heard the school lost." Jake seemed even _more_ confused, that perhaps he'd gotten some misinformation.

Chance sighed, "Okay, so we got a little pounded out there." He admitted, then added to himself, "Alot pounded."

"It's okay." Jake was saying, "I wouldn't worry about it. I mean, there's always next season." Chance felt a little irritated. What did this...this nerd know about football?

"Sure...I uh..." Chance was interrupted by a knock on his bedroom door. The door pushed open and a small she-kat with dark black hair walked in.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked. Chance couldn't believe this. He gave the classic response:

"I don't know."

"Be off the phone in five minutes, 'kay?" The she-kat told him. She left the room, of course, leaving the door wide open. Chance growled and got up to close it.

"What was that?" Jake asked.

"N-nothing. I have to go...but um..." Chance shut the door and returned to the middle of the room.

"Alright...uh...bye?" Jake replied. This was awkward.

"Bye..." Chance hung up quickly. He let his shoulders sag. That was embarassing. He flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Wake up, sleepy-head." A voice was calling him. Somebody was pushing on his sore shoulder. It seriously hurt. He cracked an eye open. A slender she-kat was standing over him, her coal-black hair tied back in a ponytail. Her blue eyes were bright. Chance groaned and rolled over, his striped back to her.

"Sis, can't you let a guy sleep in?" He muttered crossly. The she-kat sucked in her cheek and grabbed the blankets with both hands and gave them a hard wrench. Sure enough, her brother came tumbling out of them, hitting the floor with a hard enough '_thud' _to send plaster sifting from the ceiling downstairs. Chance sat up, rubbing his head. His sister was giggling.

"What?!" He snapped.

"Your underwear has little airplanes on them." His sister replied, tucking her hair back into the ponytail. Chance growled, his cheeks blushing red. He stood up, glaring at her.

"Grow up, would you, Angie?" He grumbled. Angie only smiled, her dimples making her seem all the more playful. She tossed the blanket over his head.

"Right back at you, big guy." Angie replied. Chance didn't feel like tussling with this hyper kitten. He pulled the blanket off of his head and tossed it on the bed. A voice called from downstairs.

"Chance! Angie! What was that?"

Chance rolled his eyes as Angie walked past him to the door and shouted from the balcony, "Nothing mom!"

Angie returned, smiling at him. "Put some clothes on and hurry up." she urged him, poking him in the side, knowing how he hated that due to the fact it tickled.

"Calm down Angie, it's not like I'm going to school or anything. I'm suspended remember?" Chance muttered.

"I know, but mom wanted you do something for her. Not sure what it is though, something to do with the family next door." Angie replied, causing Chance to groan. Chance got up and sauntered across the bedroom.

"Okay, scat. I'll be down in a second." He told her. Angie skittered out of the room and shut the door. About 30 minutes later Chance found himself trudging across the street, tray of steaming cookies in hand.

_I can't believe I'm doing this..._He was thinking over and over. Up the brick walk he progressed to the front door. With a tense fist his knuckles rapped against it. There was the sound of feet on a hard floor, followed by the muffled sound of a kitten shouting. Through the blinds covering the diamond-shaped windows on the door Chance could see a tall figure coming to the door. The knob turned with a squeak the door opened around to reveal a shy-looking, thin she-kat standing in the doorway. Shaking away the humiliation as best he could Chance managed to use his voice.

"H-hey, I uh, brought you these. I'm from across the street." A cold sweat beaded through his fur. The she-kat just smiled timidly, the tired laugh-lines on her face lifting. She nodded, taking the tray from him with shaking, bony hands. She gestured inside, using her pale grey eyes to say 'Won't you come in?'. Chance couldn't turn her down, no matter how much he wanted to turn tail and walk back home.

The she-kat led him inside. He followed her as far as the living room where she gestured to the sofa. Uneasily, Chance sat down. The she-kat raised her pointing figer as if to say 'One moment' and she vanished into the kitchen. Chance blew out a sigh and watched the kittens running about the house. There must have been ten of them. He lost track. They were all skinny, awkward, and gangly-looking.

A kat much taller and healthier-looking than the kittens appeared in the entrance to the living room. For a moment he stood there in the hall, he and Chance staring at each other in awkward stillness. The strange teen had light brown fur and messy mop of hair of the same color that hung in his green eyes. He wore an orange t-shirt that was far too big for him. His face changed to a dissaproving scowl and he walked out of sight.

_Friendly neighbors..._Chance thought, resting his head on the palm of his hand. The she-kat came out of the kitchen and put something in Chance's hand. Chance examined it with mild skepticism in his brown eyes. There were three brownies bound in plastic-wrap. Finally he looked up and thanked her. The she-kat's exhausted smile lifted again. Chance got up to go and the she-kat followed him to the door, opening it for him. As Chance was leaving he saw a gimpse of the red-shirted kat again. The kat's face hadn't lost it's skeptic edge.

_Where have I seen him before?_ Chance racked his brain to remember. Nothing came to light. It drove him crazy as he walked back to the front steps of his home and pushed through the door. With a slam of the door he announced himself. Nobody responded so he shuffled into the kitchen and tossed the brownies onto the counter. Mrs Furlong looked up at them.

"What's that?" she asked. Chance shrugged.

"I think it's their 'peace offering'." He muttered, opening the fridge and retrieving a carton of milk.

"Hmm...Meet anyone your age?" Mrs Furlong asked him, chewing on the eraser of her pencil. She was writing her fifth novel.

"You mean, anybody my age who didn't look willing to kill me? No." Chance replied sarcastically, taking a long sip of milk.

"But there was someone there?" Mrs Furlong asked, flipping her black hair across her shoulder as she lifted her head. Chance shrugged, still gulping down milk like a vacuum.

"Don't shrug, Chance. Maybe he just needs somebody to talk to him. Some people come off as hostile when they're shy".

Chance didn't reply at first. He tipped the empty carton back, catching the last drop and tossing the crumbled milk carton into the trash. Then he shook his head, wiping the milk moustache from his whiskers with the back of his hand.

"The last time a she-kat twisted my tail to do something like that it was humilating." He replied, leaving the room.

"Where are you going?" Mrs Furlong inquired.

"Bed." Came the simple reply. Mrs Furlong shook her head in disdain, returning to her work.

"Sleep, eat, and play video games...it's a cycle." She muttered.

"Why was that kat here?" Harry asked his mother. The thin she kat signed to him.

'He was from across the street. He brought us these.' She gestured to the cookies sitting on the table. Harry kicked the chair closest to him and plunked down into it.

"You know he was suspended from school just a day ago for beating up another kat?" Harry informed her, arching a crooked brow. His mother signed to him.

'He seemed nice'. Harry rolled his eyes.

"That's not what I was told." He replied with a heavy sigh. Honestly he didn't know what to believe.

'Rumors.' His mother signed. Harry clenched his fist.

"Sometimes, I wish there was some way a guy like me could be strong enough to- to fight!" He stated feircely. His mother's hand clasped over her mouth. Her eyes were wide as saucers. She shook her head rapidly. Harry scoffed, sliding back his chair and stalking down the narrow hall to his bedroom. He shoved the door open, toys and junk that belonged to his little brothers lay everywhere in heaps. It was tough sharing a room. He flopped down onto his bed.

"One day mom, you just watch, I won't be called a scrawny dweeb anymore. I'm gonna be somebody big. I'll show this town who's tough. I'll be hard, strong, impenetrable. Nobody will stop me! I'll make even the enforcers drop to the ground as I walk by. I won't be Harry Davison any more. I'll be Hard Drive!"

**I find his little tirade cute. So, was that a splash of cold water? Harry Davison's gonna get himself into some big trouble soon. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again, it's been a while so I just wanted to upload the next chapter just to let my readers know I'm still here. -Internet troubles...and the fact that I'm weathering a cold so I've been kinda brain-dead.**

_Eight days later..._

"Jake? Mr Clawson, wake up please." A feminine voice was saying. She sounded vexed. Jake groggily lifted his head from his desk, adjusting his crooked glasses as he yawned.

"Yes Miss Catherine...?" He asked.

"Would you like to tell me why you have once again fallen asleep in class?" Miss Catherine inquired, towering over Jake like a gargantuan king kong. Jake lifted his head, wiping the sleep from his eyes with a finger.

"No ma'am." He replied with another yawn. He felt like collapsing from his desk.

"Then perhaps you can attempt to stay awake for the remainder of class." Miss Catherine told him. She returned to the front of the room. Jake tuned out once more as Miss Catherine started talking about the fall of Rome. He'd been awake all night coming up with something for Callie. He still came up dry. His eyes slipped shut. Ahhh, bliss. He could see her now, her long, wavy blonde hair rippling when she walked. There was a sparkle in her green eyes as she smiled sweetly at him and said his name.

"Jake! Jake! Mr Clawson! Hello? Do you hear me?"

Jake snapped back to earth. Miss Catherine's face was red as magma, her nostrils flared, and was it his imagination or was there steam billowing out of her ears? She reminded Jake of a bull about to charge on a matador.

"Miss Catherine! I-I-I'm sorry! I was-!"

"-You can get all the sleep you want while sitting in detention, Mr Clawson." Miss Catherine passed her judgement. From the back of the room Jake heard Mac Mange snicker. He shuddered. He would definately take the heat for this later. He could only hope this 'Chance' guy would be there to jump in and save his hide again.

"Miss Catherine, please!" Jake called. Apparently Miss Catherine had wanted this response. She wheeled around on her high heel and glared at him.

"I have had enough of the slacking in this class!" She snapped at him. Jake wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor.

"I'm sorry Miss Catherine! I-it won't happen again!" He pleaded! Oh, the last thing he needed was detention. His mom would grill him for it when she heard about it. Who knew what his father would do? His dad was a pastor, and was typcally very calm, but Jake had never been caught sleeping in class, never had a detention in his life, and he'd never had to beg like this to a merciless teacher. His dad might be furious, he might even throw a few things.

"Be quiet, Mr Clawson, and act your age! It's dentention for you! I'm contacting your parents." Miss Catherine told him in a booming voice. An icy sweat prickled on Jake's forehead. As he looked around him the taunting eyes were like daggers. They tore through him right and left. Those eyes, he was sure, could see right through him to the soft, fragile core. He closed his eyes to hide to the hot tears that brimmed them. _This...has been an off day for me..._

Baylee dribbled the ball, it fell like an anvil with an echoing '_whump_' with every second. She kept her green eyes fixed on the target, the red hoop on the wall high above her. Like a bolt of lightning she sprang forward, dribbling the ball as hard as she could go. She skidded up to the white line before her and leaped. The ball left her hand. Through the still air it sailed. Baylee watched in slow motion as the ball flew towards the net. Then defeat flooded her ego as the ball hit the edge of the net and bounced back.

"Ha! Well _that_ didn't look too professional, now did it?" Molly rasped. Baylee turned around, eyes narrow.

"Molly-" _Wham!_ The ball smacked into the back of her head, having bounced from the net back to her.

"Neither did that. Why are you on the team anyway, Bruin?" Felina asked, sitting down on the second-to-last bleacher and setting her gym bag beside her. Baylee bit her lip, her fists clenched. Her wit escaped her -what a faithful ally-. She stalked out of the gym towards the locker room. The door slammed, echoing through the stadium like a gunshot.

"Man, those she-kats are a real pain in the tail, aren't they?" A masculine voice -one that did _not_ belong in a girl's changing room- made Baylee turn around. She nearly dropped the gym bag she'd picked up. Smiling, her jaw dropped in surprise.

"Chance! When did you get here?!" She exclaimed, trotting towards him like she wanted to throw her arms around him. She stopped herself, instead dropping her raised hands. She patted him on the shoulder awkwardly, her face turning beet red. She hoped her bangs could hide her face until it subsided.

"I just got here. I had a feeling you'd be in the gym. Those ladies giving you trouble?" Chance asked her. Baylee's bangs fell over her eyes even more as she scoffed, throwing her bangs back now.

"Felina and Molly are just egoistic, over-confident...they don't know what they're talking about!" She hissed through her teeth. "-But no, to answer your question, no. They're no big deal. They're just bugs."

"...Bugs?" Chance blinked once or twice in confusion, shuddering a little.

"You know, speed-bumps. Nothing I can't handle." Baylee responded quickly, remembering Chance's phobia of bugs. Chance nodded now, understanding. Baylee quickly turned around.

"Wait a bloody minute, what if you get caught in here?" She asked.

"No big deal." Chance muttered. He headed for the door.

"See you in class." He told her over his shoulder as he walked out into the hallway. Baylee sighed, unzipping her gym bag. The door from the gym opened just as the door to the hall was closing. Felina strode in and stopped.

"Wait. Was that...? No! Was that Chance Furlong? In here?!" She exclaimed. Baylee shrugged, not bothering to look up from where she was pulling out her casual wear.

"Why's it such a big deal?" She asked.

"He's messing around in a girl's locker room, that's what! I swear, he has no respect for anybody!" Felina ranted, throwing open her own locker and saying, "My uncle doesn't like him, y'know. He talks to my dad about him a lot. 'Says he's a no good street rat."

"Well maybe I like that 'no good street rat'." Baylee replied. Felina stood up so fast she banged her head on the open door of her locker. She whirled around, eyes wide in disbelief.

"You're crazy! Who could like somebody like that?" She gasped. Molly came in, scowling as usual, but she always got that glint in her eye whenever she saw Baylee. To her, Baylee was a vunerable toy she could have some fun with.

"What's all the ruckus?" She asked, smirking.

"Basket-Blunder Bruin here has a crush on Chance Furlong." Felina grouched, shoving her gym bag into her locker harder than necessary.

"Oh, is that all?" Molly replied, a naughty smile smearing across her face. She pushed Baylee head-first into her locker.

"They're perfect for each otha'! It takes one losea' to know a losea'!" She stated, her ears pointed back. Baylee pulled herself out of her locker and glared at Molly.

"Funny you should be the one talking, considering you've been dating Mac Mange." She hissed. Molly scoffed, flicking her hand.

"Plbbtt! A losea' and a big lug, but at least he don't go snoop'n around in girl's locka' rooms!" She retorted proudly. Baylee looked willing to claw Molly's eyes out. She slammed her locker shut with a bang that echoed through the room. Molly jumped with a start but it wouldn't wipe the proud sneer off her face. Baylee stalked out, gym bag clenched in her hand. She shoved the door open and stormed out into the hall. She must have neglected to watch where she was going, because she ran head-on with a blonde-haired she-kat. The she-kat stumbled in her high-heels, catching herself against the wall. Baylee fell clumsily to the floor.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" The she-kat asked, offering a hand to help Baylee off the floor. Baylee nodded, fluffing her rusty brown hair with a hand.

"Fair dinkum. Thanks." She replied.

"You're Australian. I've heard about you. You just moved here?" Callie inquired.

"Two months ago." Baylee responded, lifting her gym bag off the floor.

A male voice rang out down the hall -a shout of sudden surprise. Both girls looked to see Jake Clawson picking himself up off the floor. Everyone seemed to be off-balance today.

"Hey, it's that kid, Jake Clayson." Baylee stated, advancing towards him.

Callie followed, saying, "'Clawson'."

"Whatever." Baylee muttered. "G'day Jake." She greeted, inspecting the scene. There was an open locker door, and Jake on the floor behind it. All around him lay box after box of flyers. He was holding his head, groaning. His glasses lay broken somewhat on the floor at Callie's feet.

"H-hey...uhhh, I guess I was getting ahead of myself. I've been chasing my tail all morning trying to print flyers for Callie Briggs..." As he said this he turned. Callie had bent down in the same instant to pick up his glasses from the floor for him. All of a sudden they came nose to nose. Of course all eyes were on them. Whispers passed through the masses in waves. An icy sweat broke on on Jake's forehead. He blushed a deep beet red and tumbled backwards, scrambling with his feet to move away from the awkward situation as quickly as possible.

"Callie! I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't see you there! I-I mean-!" He stammered. The voices in the crowd grew more audible.

"Did you see that?!"

"That's Callie Briggs!"

"Who's the nerd?!"

"Did they kiss or something?!"

"What a freak!"

Jake fled the scene, not caring that he couldn't half see. He stumbled like a drunken kat down the hall as fast as he could. Tears ran down his face. As he bolted through the bathroom door and shut himself away in a bathroom stall he silently confirmed it to himself:

_This has _definately_ been an off-day_...

**It's a short little thing, but I finally finished this chapter! I don't know about you, but while you're leaving a review and waiting expectantly for the next chapter, I'm gonna go off and celebrate with some milk. Cheers!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Things really pile up while you're offline. I didn't have internet but I didn't want to stop the progress of this story, so I just kept going. Two chapters up in one day. Enjoy!**

Jake looked at his watch, sliding back his sleeve. It was 4:23, he assumed. He'd walked back home that day. It had taken him a while. With sore feet he climbed the front steps of his house, lodging the key in the front door and turning it. With a click he twisted the knob. It didn't budge. With a moan he sighed, resting his head against the door with a thud. _Still an off-day..._

He jumped down from the steps and rapped on the window. A she-kat, just a few years older than him with auburn hair looked up at the noise. Jake indicated the front door and the she-kat took a hint. She left the room. Not long after, Jake heard the door creak from the outside and the entry way to the house was made available.

"Door not working again?" The she-kat asked, taking his heavy book-bag off his shoulders. Jake sighed, collapsing into an easy-chair in the living room.

"This has just been a rough day, Jamie." He replied crossly.

"Hey! Jake's back!" A little voice exclaimed. All of a sudden, about eight or nine kittens came charging into the living room, swarming around him.

"Hi Jake!" Harmony greeted, waving her hand as she sat in his lap.

"What'd ya learn in school t'day, Jake?" Inquired Eliza, tipping her head so her auburn waves of hair pooled down her shoulders.

"Did you bring me candy?" Georgia asked eagerly.

"Or me?!" Katrina chimed.

"Me too!" Amelia, fondly 'millie' put in.

"Are they teaching you algebra in your class?" Francie asked, her olive-shaped green eyes peering up through her glasses at him. The rest of his sisters, Crystal, Anna Leigh, Victoria, Daisy,and Bebe stood around chattering as well. All of a sudden everyone was packed into this room. He couldn't answer so many questions, most times he never did anyway. It would take him all night.

"Crys, where's mom?" He asked, looking up over the heads of his little sisters as they played and chattered around him on the easy-chair.

"She's downstairs, 'not feeling too good. She said she'd gotten another headache." Cyrstal replied, whipping her auburn bangs out of her eyes. Jake got up, his little sisters tumbling out of the way. He climbed down the stairs to the basement where his parent's bedroom was. Quietly he pushed open the door. It was dark as he walked in.

"I'm back." He whispered, rubbing his mother's arm. The she-kat looked up at him and smiled.

"I knew either you or your father had come home when I heard the volume pick up upstairs. How was your day?" She asked. Jake scoffed a little, pacing.

"Lousy. -Mom...did dad ever...-well...was dad ever...a nerd?" He asked slowly. In the faint light he saw his mother's brow crinkle.

"I suppose. I met him in high school." She propped herself up with an arm and asked, "So, who's the girl?"

That made Jake laugh a little, but his smile quickly vanished, "Well, for starts, she's the most popular girl in school, and...well...let's face it. I'm...nerdy. She'd never go for somebody like me..."

"Oh stop that! It's not about how you dress or how you talk or how much you know about...'computer programming...?', it's what's in here." She touched his chest with a hand. Jake scowled. He'd been hearing his little peice of advice since he was five.

"I know that, mom, but nobody else bothers to look at 'that'. All they see is a geeky kat who trips over his own feet!" he retorted. "I just wish there was some way I could be...different, braver, stronger. You know, someone kats liked."

"You will be." His mother told him firmly. "One day you'll find her, maybe she's Callie, or maybe not. These sorts of things take time. I liked many toms before I met your father."

Jake sighed, shaking his head. "Well thanks anyway." With that he left the room.

Chance slammed the front door shut with a bang that echoed through the house. The silence was nothing new to him. He lugged his book bag up the stairs to his room, kicking the bedroom door open and throwing his stuff aside. Exhausted, he fell face-first onto his bed, snoring almost instantly. His bedroom phone rang and, grumbling all the while, he grabbed the phone from it's holder on the wall beside him.

"Hello? Who is this...?" He inquired.

"Who do ya think it is, you drongo?" Came the teasing voice of Baylee on the other end of the line.

"Hey, what's up?" Chance asked.

"You sound overjoyed." Baylee responded.

"It's no big deal. I'm just kinda relieved that it wasn't my mom calling me, -or that Clawton guy."

"Clawson, and actually that's partly why I called."

"Okay, tell me the other part then."

"Oh don't be such a dill, Chance! It's just that...he kinda had a nose-to-nose experience with Callie this afternoon..."

"'Nose-to-nose'...what?" Chance thought this sounded a lot like the classic girl-gossip. He felt uncomfortable with it.

"Basically Callie bent over to pick up something and Jake was on his knees to get the same thing and they both turned at the same time." Baylee explained. Chance's hand clenched the phone so hard that the plastic groaned.

"You mean they..._kissed_?!" He gasped, suddenly feeling his stomach twisting in a knot.

"N-not exactly, more like accidentally touched noses, but still, that's the way everyone saw it." Baylee replied. Chance clenched the phone harder still. Almost every guy in Megakat city knew and loved Callie, and Chance wasn't one of the minorities.

"By the way, did you ever call Jake that night?" Baylee asked.

"Wish I hadn't..." Chance muttered. Baylee sighed crossly on the other end of the line.

"He didn't mean to, Chance. It was just an accident, besides, he probably doesn't like her anyway." Baylee told him. "Crikey! I gotta let you go, mate! I got dinner burning in the oven! -G'day!"

"Bye, Baylee." Chance hung up, slamming the phone back into it's holder. Baylee often was absent-minded when on the phone. Chance was used to ending phone conversations with her in that way. He rested his head against the pillow, thoughts of F-16 fighter jets swirling into his mind. Then the shrill peal of the phone shattered them like missiles. His eyes shot open and he picked up the phone. _This'll be Mom..._

"Hey mom." He blurted casually. Silence followed.

"...'Mom'?" A familiar voice asked in bewilderment. Chance recognised the voice instantly: Jake Clawson.

"Oh crud! I thought you were...oh crud...! Kats alive...!" He exclaimed, along with a few choice words.

"You okay?" Jake asked. Chance scowled.

"'Fine." He snapped. "So why'd you call?"

"...I-I-I don't know. I just wanted to talk." Jake replied with clear nervousy in his voice. Chance groaned. What, did this kat have no life? Didn't he realize that some kats like to sleep sometime? Chance's frustration rose.

"Okay...start talking." He told him in a short-tempered tone.

"I-I...guess I wanted your advice." Jake admitted. Chance heard the kat gulp in nervousy. He listened for a few seconds for Jake to start talking.

When nothing happened he said, "Go on."

"Well...I mean, you're kind of...well...more popular...some other guys...-like me, for instance. I was just wondering if there was a way you could give me some advice."

"More popular?!" Chance couldn't believe this naive kat. "What gave you that notion?!" He sounded so hostile that Jake was almost scared to go on.

"...Well at least you have a girlfriend...I was just wondering if you could tell me...what _I'm _doing wrong?" He stated. Chance didn't know how to reply to that. His expression was skeptical as he listened.

"Girlfriend? What girlfriend?" He asked demandingly.

"That girl with the red hair that you're always with." Jake explained.

Chance ground his teeth in frustration, "She's not my girlfriend! She's just a friend! Where do you get the-?!" He stopped himself.

"I-I-I'm sorry!...I-I just w-want to know...why nobody likes me. -I _know_ that sounds lame, but..." Jake stammered.

"Well maybe if you didn't go around kissing the popular girls at school they'd like you better!" Chance heard himself snap bluntly. Before he could shut his trap the words were out. He mentally kicked himself in the tail. What was he thinking?!

"...I'm sorry about that..I...hello?" He tried to appologize, but Jake had hung up. With a heavy sigh he put the phone back in it's holder and lay back down, resting his head on his folded arms, looking soberly at the stripes of brown that patterned over his muscles. _Great! I blew it..._ He thought. Jake cried himself to sleep that night.

The rumors from the previous week had spread like wildfire by then. When Chance walked down the hall he could hear his name whispered occasionally on all sides. Sometimes it was mingled with 'That jock', or 'bully', and 'shh! he'll hear you!'. Chance opened his locker and nearly sprang out of his fur as a hand touched his shoulder.

"Baylee?" he gasped, "Whew! It's just you...so, did you set your house on fire last night?" He teased lightly. Baylee smirked.

"No, but dinner was charred a little." She replied. "Actually, the reason I came over here in the first place is cause I wanted to talk to you..."

"Shoot." Chance replied with a shrug.

"You seem really...down. -I mean, I can understand, with all the gossip, but I can't help but feel like there's something else eating you up." Baylee explained. Chance sighed in remittance.

"I talked to Jake Clackson last night." He admitted.

"'Clawson'." Baylee corrected. Chance nodded.

"R-right...anyway, I kind of...well...I think I said something...something that...uh..." He stammered. He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Hm?" Baylee urged him to explain himself, arching a brow.

Chance swore under his breath and snapped, "I think I offended him."

There. It was out. Now Baylee could act shocked at him, say something sappy like 'I can't believe you would do such a thing!' and some other nonsense. Then he'd just walk off, slamming his locker shut, and drag himself to class. That didn't happen. Instead, Baylee just shook her head and nudged him. She was smiling.

"Chance, you just trip over yourself, you know that? You didn't mean it, mate, I know you well enough to believe that much." She told him.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Chance asked helplessly, "He's not gonna listen to a word I say now."

"Beats me, mate. Call him? Talk to him? He's at the water fountain right now." Baylee offered her advice. Chance's non-plussed expression showed that 'talking' of any sort was out of the question at the time. Baylee put up her hands.

"If that doesn't suit you, I have to tell you that I'm all out." She stated. Chance didn't reply, so Baylee patted him on the shoulder and headed off to class. He sighed heavily and shut his locker with a bang. The halls were nearly empty now. Jake was about to the leave the water fountain. Quickly, Chance strode over to him.

"Hey," He started. That was the most normal a way to start a conversation in existance. Jake turned, worry in his green eyes. That worry transformed into fear almost instantly. Chance faltered in mid-stride at the sight of him. Jake looked terrified. Chance softened his tone.

"I-I...I wanted to appologise for yesterday." He inwardly cringed at how sappy he sounded.

"I didn't mean to...y'know..." He stammered awkwardly. Jake just scowled at him distrustfully. Finally he pulled the strap of his book bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah," He replied crossly, pushing his gasses back onto the bridge of his nose with his finger.

"That's what they all say, when they do say it at all."

"Who's...they?" Chance asked.

"Who do you think?" Jake retorted, clenching the strap of his bag. "They're all over the place, spreading their lies and making kats like me look like idiots!"

"I'm not like them! I'm better than that...-most of the time." Chance stated hastily.

"Look, what do you want from me...?" Jake asked him.

"I just...I don't know. I just wanted to appologise. I didn't want to do that to you." Chance admitted.

"Well you did, just like everybody else does." Jake hissed. He strode away, tail dragging behind him. Chance was about to go to class as well and forget about it when an ear-splitting bang erupted behind him. The building shook. Chance felt the heat against his back and turned sharply about. Flames burst out of the computer lab. The tumbling swell of red and bright orange came at Chance like a subway train. Before he could move out of the way he was thrown backwards and flung like a regected toy across the hall. With a slam he hit the row of lockers behind him. Sharp shards of metal flew past him as he hit the solid floor and blacked out. There was a roaring in his ears. He came to quickly. His face and arms were covered in blood. He was trembling violently. Finally he managed to push himself upright and force his eyes open. The halls were filled with kats, particularly congregated in a circle around him. All of them were wide-eyed and scared out of their wits. Everyone was talking at once.

"W-what...?" That was all he could say for the time being. A teacher rushed over, one he didn't recognise immediatley. It was Miss Catherine. She shooed the crowds away a little, looking from left to right.

Then, her hands on her hips she said, "Who's responsible for all of this? Perhaps you can tell us, Chance Furlong?" As if Chance would know! He could barely get his thoughts together. His head ached harshly.

"I don't know ma'am..." he responded. He felt dizzy all of a sudden. The lights of the hall faded. Faces blurred. He collapsed back against the rubble-ridden floor, teeth clenched in pain.

A she-kat exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! Get a nurse!"

Darkness enveloped him. The silence was numb...

**Adding in a smidge of that flaming voilence and injury action that characterized 'On the Razor's Edge', cause I was beginning to miss it. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it took a while...I'm back! **

**I'll just let you read now...**

The white light was searing and bright. It made Chance's eyes ache as he came around several hours later. Afternoon sunlight poured into the room. Chance felt numb all over. He could tell he was lying down, that much was aparent as he could feel something like a blanket or sheet against his back. He barely recognised where he was at first. Then he remembered the familiar blue-white color scheme of the room. He'd come here often with nasty bruises and busted shoulders after football practice sometimes. It was the nurse's office.

_Crud...how did I end up here?_ He thought, trying to sit up. All of a sudden the numb feeling was gone as though it's prescence had never existed. Pain attacked him on all sides, shooting through his body in waves. Crying out involuntarily Chance collapsed back against the pillow. He raised a hand to his forehead, trembling with clenched teeth.

_What happened to me?_ Came the next question. The door to the room flew open and a she-kat in a white coat, presumably the nurse, bustled in.

"Don't try to move. You'll only hurt yourself worse." The nurse demanded.

"W-what happened?" Chance asked, his voice rasped hoarsely as he spoke. "Where's Baylee? Is she okay?"

"Yes, everyone is fine. Only one other kat recieved minor burns and a few lacerations, but he's okay. You, on the other hand..." The nurse explained.

"Sit up if you can." She told him. "It'll hurt like all of heck, but I need to check the burns on your back."

Before Chance could resist at all, the nurse pushed him into a sitting position, gently, but it was enough to cause Chance to scream through his teeth. Sweat prickled on his forehead, dampening his fur. As softly as the aggressive nurse could, she unwound the bandages that bound Chance and examined his back with a proficient eye. She clacked her tongue and gave a nod.

"Hold still. I need to apply another swab of disinfectant." She told him. Chance couldn't argue. He just sat there, bent over, gritting his teeth against the burning pain until his jaw ached. The nurse dampened a wad of gauze with some sort of medicine and dapped it lightly over Chance's back. It soothed him to some extent. He managed to calm himself down enough to ask,

"Where'd that explosion come from anyway?" The nurse just shook her head, her grey curls bobbing in her face.

"Nobody can put a finger on it. There wasn't anyone in the room when it went up. The only possible suspects they have are you and that Jake Claymoore kid."

"'Clawson'." Chance corrected her, surprised that he even got it right.

"Did anyone go in there earlier today? Maybe even before hours?" He inquired deeper. The nurse thought for a few seconds, her lips pursed. Then she shook her head once more.

"If there was, I didn't see it. I wouldn't know. We'll investigate it further, but you need to get some rest. What's your number so I can contact your father?" she asked. Chance faltered at that question. Why did these kats always ask for his inexistant father? He told the nurse his phone number and the nurse gave a nod.

"I'll send for him to come pick you up." The nurse replied, leaving the room as quickly as she had bustled in. Silence fell like a cold wet blanket. As Chance lay still on the office bed he could feel the cold of the sheets right through his fur. He shivered, tucking his legs up to his body. His white jeans were stained with blood and black in places from being singed. He felt sore all over. The door behind him pushed open again and the nurse entered once more.

"I couldn't get your father. You're mother's coming to pick you up. Just hang tight and don't move around unless you really have to." The nurse told him, and with that having been said she left.

"Figures you couldn't get my dad." Chance muttered. If anybody was able to track down Furlong-senior it'd be by a miracle only. He lay there, listening to the clock as it ticked slowly. He payed no notice to the footsteps in the halls, no notice to the lawn mower a block away, no notice to the whoosh of the ceiling fan overhead. All he could think about was his father, now that the subject was brought up. Whenever the topic came to light he could never take his mind off of it even after the conversation had long since come to an end.

Now the door opened for the third time and Chance fully expected the nurse to come waddling in to ask him something else about daddy-dearest. The voice that resounded behind him wasn't old and rasped. It was young and feminine with a warm hint of Aussie.

"You all good, mate?" Baylee asked him. Chance turned onto his back, ignoring the burning raw sensation that came from it.

"Good to see you, Baylee." He replied, doing his best to look casual.

"What happened back there, anyway? Could you tell?" Baylee inquired with eager curiousity.

"I have no idea. I was just standing there and all of a sudden the whole place just lit up." Chance told her. Baylee turned her eyes to the floor in defeat, but something about her current nature told Chance that she hadn't given up the mystery just yet. Silence resumed again, as if it didn't come around often enough. Once more the ticking clock was the only sound. Then in an almost whisper Chance asked something that Baylee didn't catch at first.

"How's Jake?" He asked. Baylee looked up sharply with a 'Hm?', her hair swishing over one shoulder. She laughed quietly, just a little.

"I thought you didn't care for that little drongo." She replied.

"That's aside the point. He's alright?" Chance persisted. Baylee nodded with a shrug.

"Eh, more or less, mate." She said, her mouth pursed into an upside-down 'v'.

"Maybe he saw something. We should ask him." Chance blurted quickly, sitting up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! One, you need to stay down. Two, is he even gonna hear you out at all now?" Baylee replied, pushing him down with both hands.

"I don't know, but this is a big deal. If he _did_ see anything, it wouldn't hurt to know." Chance told her regretfully. As he said this the door opened and lo and behold the kat that walked in wasn't at all the nurse. The kat was reddish-brown, short and thin, and wore thick-rimmed black glasses. Chance recognised him instantly. As he sat there looking astounded to see him, Baylee seemed purely calm and maybe too casual.

"G'day, mate. Chance has a few questions for you." Baylee told Jake, who gave her a wide-eyed look. Jake's surprised eyes then averted their attention to Chance. Chance hadn't exactly been expecting Baylee to pull that line so soon. He lay there trying to form a decent sentence as Jake stood waiting.

"R-right...uh..." Chance stammered. Jake just shook his head.

"If you're trying to ask me if I saw anybody before the explosion, no, I didn't see anybody." He told him soberly.

"Well that was a disapointment..." Baylee muttered.

"Well what do you want out of me anyway, aussie?" Jake retorted defensively.

"Nothing." Baylee shrugged, "Except...maybe you would be game to help us solve this mystery." Jake stood there, arms folded across his chest. The silence was eerie as he remained quiet. Chance and Baylee waited impatiently. They could tell he was thinking it over. Finally Jake pushed his glasses into place with a finger and stood up as tall as he could.

"Deal. I'll help you." He replied, shooting Chance a warning glance. Chance shrank under it guiltily. It was then that the nurse came hobbling in, clipboard pressed to her chest.

"She's here. Get your stuff and be outta here in ten minutes tops." The nurse urged. "I've got a kid outside with a bloody nose. All three of you, scoot!"

**Hmm...okay...I had brain-fog and writer's block for several days while writing this chapter. It was just dragging...hopefully there will be more action soon. **


	6. Chapter 6

"Stupid locker! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Open up or I'll smash you!" Harry raved, kicking the door of his stubborn locker enraged. He yanked the padlock in vain frustration. No use. Growling in anger he slammed the toe of his sneaker against the door.

"Ow!" He yowled, hopping on one foot as he grasped his throbbing shoe with both hands. The kats cast eyes on him as they wavered past. He sighed, setting his foot on the floor with hurt dignity. All because he couldn't get his unreliable locker door to budge. He put a hand against it, leaning on it in bereft remittance.

"You okay there, mate?" Baylee asked. Harry looked up, brown eyes filled with surprise that anybody would talk to him. It was a she-kat with wavy, flowing reddish brown hair that pooled down her shoulders and back. Her green eyes were perplexed as they watched him, sparkling in the light. Harry chuckled, revealing a side-grin of sharp white fangs. He stood up, folding his arms across his chest and puffing himself up.

"Nothing I can't handle. I have my ways of getting this stubborn peice of junk to open. After that it's just putty in my hands." He said smoothly.

"Looks like it's stuck." Baylee replied bluntly.

"What?" Harry forced a laugh, "Nah, it's cool. It's nothing Harry D can't handle." He swept a hand through his long spiky hair.

"Fair dinkum." Baylee stated simply. She started to walk away.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked, confusion plain in his voice. Baylee's shoulders shrugged once in reply as she walked off.

"Wait! Wait up!" Harry called, dashing after her. He was about to grasp her shoulder as Baylee turned around and left his hand in empty air. Baylee arched a brow in expectation for him to say whatever it was he wanted to say.

"What's your name...?" Harry inquired.

"Baylee Bruin." Baylee replied, pushing his hand down.

"Harry...-Davison...!" Harry stuttered, holding out his hand as though he expected her to shake it. Baylee looked down at his hand, then up at him, and once more at his hand. Hesitantly she shook it.

"So," Harry began, secretly telling himself he'd never wash that hand again, "Doing anything this evening?"

"Homework." Baylee replied with an emotionless face.

"Ah! Yes...! Right...uh...maybe we could...work...together...?" Harry suggested awkwardly. He felt like a kitten.

"Look...Harrison Davies, while I'd _love_ to spend the evening with some random kat I just met today, I have to decline. I'm going over to a friend of mine's to do homework this evening. Maybe another time, -like a time when I know you better. G'day, mate!" And with that she was gone. Harry growled, turning and punching the locker beside him, not caring about who's it was.

"Still on your little vandalism spree are you, Harrison Davison?" A voice asked. Harry veered around and came face to face with Mrs Pharoh. His heart crawled up into his throat and choked him.

"Vandalism spree...?! What are you talking about?" He replied nervously.

"The explosion in the computer labs, you were behind it weren't you?" Mrs Pharoh accused.

"N-no! I don't know what you're talking about!" Harry exclaimed.

"Tell it to the police!" Mrs Pharoh snapped.

Baylee lay on her bed in her room, doing her math homework in silence. Chance was on the bean-bag chair on the opposite side of the room, working on an essay, pencil scratching away. The sound of thundering feet in the hall would occasionally resound, but Baylee hardly noticed it.

"What's going on out there?" Chance asked after a particularly hard bang that shook the room. Baylee caught on of her gymnatics trophies before it took a plunge to the floor, grasping it in one hand without so much as glancing up. She put it back on the shelf.

"My brothers, Derick and Chet. They're kind of wild." She replied. Another loud thump occured, followed by a yell. Chance sighed, slumping with his back to the wall.

"Be glad you don't have a sister." He muttered.

"Why not?" Baylee inquired as one of her brothers screamed in another room.

"Well y'know...she's a girl for one thing."

"What's wrong with girls?"

Silence ensued. The muffled sound of a continued skirmish in the next room was the only noise.

"...Uh...well you know...how they like make-up, and dating, and clothes...it's just...kind of...uh...boring..." Chance stammered.

"Boring?!"

"Wa- uh not...um...!...boring...uh...just dumb -sorta...! -I mean...!" Chance tried to recover as a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Baylee slammed her book shut and sat up.

"Let me get one thing straight Chance. Am I boring and dumb to you? What's the deal then? Huh?" She shouted.

"No! You're not boring! -Or dumb! You're beautiful and- w-well not beautiful...but you're not ugly! I mean..uh...somebody wanna turn on the AC? Is it hot in here..?!"

"So that's it then! You think I'm just another girly-girl she-kat covered in glitter and done up in pink! Look at me Chance! I'm different! I'm not some doll! What is the deal with this stupid mindset in toms?! Why do you think all girls are like that?! Is it just cause you've lived with no one but a mom and a sister? Is this because you never had a dad?! A-are you _blaming_ me for that?! Why would you even think that I'm anything like other she-kats! You're such a drongo! You should have had a father to tell you the honest truth instead of going bias! He would have told you! I bet he would!" Baylee ranted, now pacing.

"No! My dad has nothing to do with anything!" Chance retorted, standing up. "And don't bring him up again!"

"You should go..." Baylee told him, turning away. Chance scowled.

"Fine. Be a drama-queen. You're just like everybody else." He hissed, scooping up his book bag on his way to the door. The bedroom door slammed behind him. Baylee punched the wall so that a dent bruised the plaster.

"You dill...what were you thinking? What was I thinking?!" She muttered to herself. Hours passed and found Baylee lying wide awake in her darkened bedroom, staring blankly at the phone on her bedside table. Several blocks away Chance dropped into bed like a rock and lay there gazing up at the ceiling, the dim glimmer from the hall glistening in the water that rimmed his brown eyes. He glanced at the phone on his wall and sighed shakily.

"She'll never call..." He told himself silently. He turned onto his side. The bandages around his chest felt uncomfortable against him. He groaned and turned over onto his back submissively. Finally he decided he wasn't getting any sleep this way. He got out of bed and shuffled down the hall as quietly as he could. Silently he pushed the bedroom door open and entered the dark bedroom soundlessly.

"Mom." He whispered.

"Mm." Came the sleepy reply. Mrs Furlong turned to face him, rubbing an eye with the back of her hand.

"What is it Chance?" She asked.

"I need to ask you something..." Chance replied. "About my father."

**Cliff hanger! My internet's been weird. Hopefully I can write and upload the next chapter with success...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Well, well, well. The last chapter was definately not a pretty picture. Harry's been dragged off to talk to the police, Baylee's blown it with Chance, and Chance is about to find out about where his dad's been for fifteen years. I quote Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz... "Oh my!"**

"_Please! I swear! I didn't do it!" Harry was pleading at the top of his lungs as the cop's grip on his wrist tightened to an unbearable strength. He was hoarse now, struggling to get out of the cop's grip. The cop's partner was wearing dark shades. His mouth was a flat line like a dead EKG. He turned his head to Harry and told him to be silent._

_"We're just gonna bring you downtown for some questioning, kid. Cool it." The other cop said gruffly. _

_"In the back." His partner order, pointing a thick finger at the door of the patrol car. Harry struggled in vain._

_"No, wait! Stop!" He resisted._

_"You're just gonna make it worse for yourself, kid!" The cop barked as Harry fought against him. _

_"I don't care. Just let me go!" Harry shouted, fists clenched fightly. The cops shoved him into the patrol car harder than necessary and slammed the door. _

That had been yesterday. Now Harry lay on his bed at home, curled up in a fetal position, scowling crossly. His mother had nothing to say to him. His siblings -the ones old enough to understand- were scared of him.

_It's not true..._ he thought, closing his eyes and drawing warm tears to trickle through his brown fur. His hand gripped the blanket in his fist tightly. What was left to do now? The police seemed to think he was the one responsible for the explosion at the school. They thought they were onto him. They were dead wrong. Muttering bitterly against the policeman as well as a few choice words he sat up and rubbed his arm. He glanced around the small bedroom. His little brother wasn't around. The rest of his siblings were either in the yard or with friends on the block. His mother was most likely in the basement sewing. His eyes turned to the open window of his bedroom. Then they averted to a blue drawstring bag on the floor.

Leaping from his bed he scooped up the bag on his way out. Down the hall he trudged silently to the kitchen. He seized one or two apples from the basket on the counter and dropped them heavily into the bag. He filled a water bottle and added that to the contents of the bag as well. Finally he stuffed a jacket and two pairs of socks into the bag as well as fifty dollars from the locked drawer in the family room. He felt somewhat guilty for that, but let it slide. He was leaving. No sense in staying in a place where he wasn't welcome. He yanked the drawstring of the bag feircly, closing it shut. Facing the front door he slung the bag over his shoulder and took a deep breath. Then he marched out.

The storm door creaked on it's rusted spring as he shoved it open. The sun beamed down on his fur. The spring breeze felt sweet to his senses. Inside, Harry felt cold as a ball of ice. He walked down the street without so much as a glance back. The drawstring bag swung merrily behind him, thumping lightly against his back as he walked. The power of freedom was all around him; inside him. It was almost scary, but he was too relieved to feel afraid.

Chance pushed a green fruit-loop around in the milk blankly. With half-closed eyes he watched it absorb the milk in the bowl. Mrs Furlong entered the kitchen, frowning at him worriedly.

"Chance, eat your food." She urged.

"Can't." Chance muttered, clinking the spoon down into the bowl with a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong with Chance?" Angie asked in concern, a wad of partically-chewed fruit loops balled up in one cheek. Mrs Furlong didn't answer Angie directly. She came over to Chance at the table and looked her son in the eye.

"Baby, you look exhausted. How late did you stay up?" She interrogated. Chance tossed his crumpled napkin onto the table, sliding the chair back in the same motion and storming out of the room. Angie chased after him.

"Chance!" She called. She caught up with him at the bottom of the stairs. 

"What's the matter with you?" She inquired.

"It's nothing." Chance replied, starting up the stairs.

"Why do you always hide your problems from me?" Angie called up to him.

"I said it's nothing!" Chance retorted sharply. Angie backed off. Chance stalked away and slammed the door to his bedroom. He fell onto his chest on the bed, burying his face into the pillows. No sooner had he begun to allow all the anger and frustration to pour down his face in hot tears than he drifted off, but not for long. With a sigh he forced himself to make the best of the weekend and left the house for a while.

Baylee pounded the basketball against the pavement of her driveway feircely, beating all of her anger and frustration into the concrete. The sun was hot on her shoulders as she made her way to the net. Finally, taking a deep breath she plunged the ball towards the net. The ball slammed into the plastic rim and bounced off. With a thud it hit the concrete and bounced into the lawn. Baylee clenched her fists, growling as a long list of all the words she wanted to say flooded her mind.

"I know what you're doing wrong." A voice said. Baylee turned about, eyes wide. Harry was leaning against her mailbox, grinning. At her notice of him, he walked towards her.

"You're throwing it with your wrists, like a girl. It takes a little arm-action too." He explained, dribbling the ball back into the middle of the driveway.

"Watch and learn..." He told her. He started dribbling towards the net. At the last possible second he leaped from the pavement. The ball flew from his hands. With a whoosh it slipped cleanly through the hoop. Harry caught it in his hands and passed it to Baylee.

"Now you try it." He offered. Baylee caught the ball with nervous hands. She repositioned herself at the end of the driveway. The warm breeze blew gently. Baylee hesitated, her heartbeat racing. She swallowed her nervously and gave a single nod to confirm to herself that she was ready. Like a streak of lightning she bolted foreward up the driveway towards the net. The hoop grew closer and closer upon approach. Finally Baylee told herself this was it. The ball slipped from her fingers as she thrust it forward with both arms. The ball hurdled towards the hoop. It hovered on the rim for two heart-pounding seconds. Then dropped through the hoop.

Baylee leaped upright, eyes beaming. She turned to Harry.

"Where did you learn to shoot a hoop like that, mate?!" She asked him. Harry shrugged.

"It's just basketball, B. Everybody knows it." He came alongside her.

"Well, almost everybody. 'Guess I could say you're special." His arm wrapped around her. Baylee looked up in surprise, blinking her green eyes.

"Harry...-that's your name, right?" She inquired, pulling away.

"It's ace to see you again, but I have something called personal space. Try to respect that, okay?" She told him. Harry raised his hands.

"Sure thing, B." He complied. Then after a moment of silence between them he stated. "It's too bad about your boyfriend."

"What?" Baylee looked confused.

"Kats have been seeing you two apart. Something happen between you and him?" Harry asked, harpooning a hand into the baggy pocket of his jeans.

"He's not my boyfriend! He's...just a friend." Baylee retorted. She looked soberly at her sneakers. Suddenly Harry was in her personal space again, a hand on her shoulder and the other hand under her chin.

"If he's done anything to hurt you, B, I'll deal with him." He told her. Baylee shrugged him off.

"It's not his fault. I'm fine." She replied. Harry held her fast.

"No, something's wrong, isn't there, B?" He inquired softly. Baylee shook her head. Then broke into a nod.

"But it's not your problem." She replied, turning to look at him and realizing they were way too close for her personal comfort.

"Would you mind...?" She asked uncertainly. She moved away.

"Why did you come here anyway?" She inquired.

"I'm leaving this crummy city, B. I'm getting outta here, and I want you to come with me." Harry explained, once again invading Baylee's space. He took her by the hands, looking into her eyes. Baylee backed up.

"Harry, I really...-" She felt the garage door against her back and gasped. Harry smiled.

"Oh come on, babe. You know you want to." He told her persuasively. Baylee's heart raced. She was on the verge of screaming for help when suddenly a massive masculine form of a familiar kat stepped in between both of them.

_Chance..._Baylee nearly gasped out loud. Chance glared fire at Harry.

"Got something you wanna tell her?" He hissed. Harry gulped, backing up until he was beyond Chance's tall shadow.

"I- was just leaving..." He replied quickly. With that he walked away as fast as he dared, scooping up his bag of goods for the journey and making tracks up the block. Chance turned to Baylee, an appology in his warm brown eyes. Before he could say anything Baylee spoke up.

"Chance..." She sighed with heavy relief, "Good to see a friendly face again, mate."

"How do you know that guy?" Chance asked, silently checking her over to ensure that she was okay. Baylee let out a quiet sigh.

"I-it was just some pushy drongo I found kicking his locker the other day..." She paused, looking across the lawn. Then up at him.

"I missed you, mate." She admitted. Chance nodded, putting an arm across her shoulders. The two walked down the paved driveway.

"Wanna hit the skate-park?" Baylee asked casually. She saw a glimmer light in Chance's eyes.

"Sure."

**Awww...for those of you who hate 'oc x char' pairings, you might complain about this, I'll just appologise. I honestly wish I didn't get writer's block so much with this. So poor Harry's leaving his family and his love-interest behind. No wonder he became a villain. He's probably like, "The heck with this. I'm Hard Drive!" **


	8. Chapter 8

"Callie," Jake said after finally mustering the courage to do so. He walked up to her on the side-walk outside the High School, feet shifting uneasily beneath him. Callie raised her head, her blonde bangs flying from her eyes and buffetting in the breeze. Jake was awe-struck for a moment or two before he gathered his bearings.

"I wanted to tell you that I...I..." He leaned a hand on one of the bicycles chained to the bike rack.

"Um...that advertising project you wanted me to do...? I'm sorry I couldn't get it to you sooner...I've just been tied up...I-I'm...uh...sorry about the other day. I meant to appologise then and there, there were just so many kats there and I didn't want to make a scene. I was just-" Callie just giggled a little, beaming at him with cherry cheeks.

"Jake, you're so modest! It's alright. My brother dropped out a few days ago, but thank you anyway...and um...that other day...in the hallway..." She stepped forward, clasping her hands in her lap as she fixed her green eyes on Jake. Jake was a figurative jello.

"It was...kind of cute." Callie admitted, tucking a lock of her hair back and smiling.

"R-really? Y-you think I'm..." Jake quickly discovered that the bike he was leaning on in a dashing manor was apparently not chained to the bike-rack. Suddenly the bike lurched over and Jake with it. The row of bikes toppled over like a line of dominoes and Jake fell forward against Callie. Jake looked up, his brown-furred face turning such a deep red that it burned. He was too embarassed to move. Callie only blushed and replied,

"Yes," She laughed, helping him upright, "I do."

Jake backed up, hand behind his back as he awkwardly cleared his throat. Callie held her book-bag, watching him with almost an admiration in her eyes. The silence then was awkward. Jake looked to the door and started to climb the stairs towards them.

"I uh, gotta go...b-but I'll see you later...-um...in class I guess...yeah..so um...uh...bye!" With that he was gone.

"Hey! What dufus knocked over my bike!?" Callie heard some random kat exclaim. She just shook her head with a tiny smile and walked inside as well. In the hall she ran into Baylee, though this time not literally.

"Hey," Callie greeted. Baylee returned salutations in her own Aussie way.

"Any idea what's going on?" She asked. Callie looked puzzled.

"Guess not." Baylee assumed aloud, "There's a bunch of police in the gym interrogating a bunch of kats."

"Anyone we know?" Callie inquired with curiosity.

"Chance for one, and a lot of the gangs and the like." Baylee responded. She looked over her shoulder down the hall, gripping the strap of her book-bag.

"It has something to do with that big explosion a few days ago, doesn't it?" Callie presumed. Baylee nodded.

"It's weird. Every time they think they're onto somebody it turns out they're wrong." She stated. Callie gave an understanding nod.

"I've gotta run. See you around, mate." Baylee told her with a wave of her hand. She started down the hall. Callie dissapeared through one of the hall doors behind her. Baylee heard the door close and another open. It was the cafeteria. It stunned her for a moment. Who would have any reason to go in there at this time of day? She turned around to see a black-furred kat creeping out of the cafeteria, something clenched in his hand. It looked like a remote control for a battery-powered car.

"What the...?" Baylee whispered in confusion. The black kat raced down the hall, feet flying.

"Crikey! This bloke is fast!" Baylee exclaimed. She chased after him at a trot. It had instantly dawned upon her that the black kat definately wasn't going to outside the school to play with any toy car. That remote was a detonator. As Baylee ran it all became clear. That was how no one could have been around when the lab went up. He was setting the thing off from outside the school were he couldn't possibly be seen, connected, or associated.

She chased him down the long concrete front steps and around the corner into the alley. The black kat was cornered. He held the detonator out for her to see, backing away from her. There was a mean grin on his face.

"Don't come any closer kitten! I'll blow the place wide open! I've got bombs rigged to the kitchen and the gym. When I set these bombs off, all those delinquents will face their doom!" The dark kat snapped.

"Chance..." Baylee gasped. She halted in mid-step. The black kat's finger hovered over the button.

"That's a good girl. Right where you are..." He jeered.

"Don't you _dare_ hurt those cats you drongo!" Baylee hissed.

"What can you do to stop me?" The black kat retorted. Baylee thought fast. She swung her book bag towards the kat's head. It met it's mark. The detonator clattered to the ground. Baylee held her breath. Everything was silent. The bombs hadn't been triggered. The black kat leaped to his feet.

"Oh...you're going to pay for that, girl!" He growled. Before Baylee could react the black kat grabbed her by both arms and shoved her down. Her shoulders stung with pain. She cried out, kicking in vain at the black kat who was twisting her arm. She bucked, slamming her back against the black kat. The kat staggered backwards long enough for Baylee to rise up on one knee to her feet and swing her entire left leg behind her. With a crack her foot met the kat's jaw. The black kat fell against the wall.

"That's it...it's over!" The black kat shouted at the top of his lungs, now blind with rage. He grabbed Baylee roughly by both shoulders and flipping her head over heels, slamming her by the wrist to the ground. Baylee tried to fight back, but it was useless. The black kat snatched up a broken peice of glass. He came at her with it like a dagger. Baylee grimaced as the glass fell towards her back. Then suddenly like a cannonball Chance hit the black kat full on, slamming him like a locomotive into the side of the building. He grabbed the kat by the wrists, fighting to keep the black kat from swinging the knife-like shard of glass. Both kats were evenly matched in size and strength. The black kat saw an opportunity and kicked hhis attacker sharply in the shin. Chance staggered but only for a moment. In a second he was back at the black kat's throat, bringing both of them to the ground.

His old injuries didn't assist him. The black kat's blows were precise, pounding like a searing mallet against the scars on his chest and shoulders. With tightly clenched teeth he returned the attack, sending blow after blow to the black kat until both were bleeding. The black kat clutched the shard in his hand, swiping it like a blade in front of him. Chance felt the sharp edge slice through his arm once or twice. He clenched the black kat's arm, pushing against his opponent. The black kat overpowered him and threw him back. With a sudden hard thump Chance knocked his head against the concrete. He grimaced, lying there unable to move. The black kat lunged, the shard in his hand gleaming.

"Chance!" Baylee screamed. Chance's eyes shot open. So fast that Baylee hardly saw it happen he kicked the black kat firmly in the side. The black kat flew backwards, his feet leaving the ground. He hit the wall head first and fell to the ground limp as a rag rose to her feet shakily.

"A-are you alright, mate?" She stammered. Chance pushed himself off the ground, holding his head with a bleeding hand.

"Better question: Are you?" He asked. Baylee nodded.

"I'm fine, mate. We'd better let you see a doctor." She stated, examining him worriedly.

"It's no big deal." Chance replied, standing up. The alley was doing laps. He ignored it, or at least tried.

"So who is this guy anyway?" He asked, clutching his right arm that was bleeding the worst.

"I don't know. He was the guy who blew up the lab though." Baylee replied. She knelt and picked up the detonator carefully.

"He was doing it by remote control." She explained.

"Remote...control...?" Chance could barely see straight now. He reached out a hand to lean on the wall, but couldn't find it. Instead he found Baylee, her arm around him as she held him up.

"That tears it. I'm getting you to the nurse's office." She told him.

"Wait...somebody's gotta tell the police about this..." Chance replied, resisting.

"Later. You're hurt." Baylee persisted.

"He's not the only one who'll be hurt, kitten!" Came a mentally disturbed groan behind them. Both turned about. The black kat dragged himself forward on the ground, a hand out-stretched. Chance and Baylee watched in a flash of sudden horror as the black-furred hand punched the button on the detonator.

**And like that, this chapter ended. Hope all of you are enjoying it so far. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Where was Jake when the building went up? -Or worse, where was Callie? **

The flames leaped in the halls. The sirens pealed with an earsplitting ring. Kats were screaming as they scrambled madly down the halls to the doors. Some jumped from windows that were low enough. The smoke hung thickly in the air. Jake could barely breathe as he ran down the burning halls. With both hands he shoved the gym doors wide open. Bodies lay everywhere. It was hard to tell who was alive and who wasn't. Thinking fast, Jake darted through the flame over to the fire alarm on the wall and yanked it down. Water began streaming in a thick shower from the ceiling until everything was soaked and the fire was quenched. Emergency sirens rang out from outside the school. Jake raced out of the gym. The enforcers would decipher the dead from the living.

As he sprinted into the hall he wondered with a sickening thought if Callie had gotten out or not. His question was soon answered as he saw a flash of blonde far down the hall, half-masked by smoke and flame. He raced towards her, coughing uncontrollably.

"Callie!" He shouted over the roaring flames. The smoke and fatigue from the heat couldn't stop him. He raced up to Callie, taking her by the hand.

"Come on! We've gotta get out of here!" He called to her. Callie's green eyes were wide. Her soft cheeks were streaked with black. She stumbled in her high heels behind him as they charged through the flames. The heat was agonizing and intense all around them. The stench of burning plaster and linolium invaded their lungs. Jake's grasp on Callie's delicate wrist was firm but gentle. Through his fogged and dirty glasses he could make out the exit up ahead. The bright red words gleamed over the door way. He charged towards it, pulling Callie with him. Worry shot through him as Callie was coughing uncontrollably. She stumbled to the floor behind him, her hand slipping from his.

"Jake..." She wheezed, "I can't...you have to go..." Jake was right beside her in an instant, the smoke choking him. He ducked beneath the grey cloud that rose from the flames.

"Callie, we have to go. I won't leave you here!" He urged, coughing once or twice. His vision was begining to blur. Callie coughed once more, gasping to breath.

"You have to...please...!" She begged. Jake lifted her up from the floor. She was surprisingly the light. The room swayed. Jake staggered, choking on the thick smoke. He started for the door. The hall did a full 180 turn and Jake felt his legs give out. They both went down. With a breath-taking thud they hit the floor. Jake sheilded Callie against the impact. An ear-splitting groan sounded in the ceiling above. Jake looked up to see the whole chunk of the ceiling come avalanching down. He clenched his eyes shut tightly, wrapping himself protectively around Callie as the ceiling fell. He ground his teeth together and waited for the sting. The crash sounded and the dust blew against them. The whole collapse had missed them by a near inch. Jake looked up in horror. The doorway was blocked. His head was pounding like a drum. His vision wafted inward and outward like the focus on a camera. His head hit the floor. He forced his eyes open, unable to rise up again. The red glowing word 'EXIT" bled together.

Then everything became dark and cold.

"MegaKat General, this Squad 12, we have a fifth victim, smoke inhalation..." Jake could hear these words faintly as he slowly came back around. Something was clasped over his mouth. The air he was breathing was cold and felt artificial. He opened his eyes and saw a kat in a blue uniform with a stethescope around his neck. He was holding a radio-conversation with someone.

_Paramedic..._Jake instantly assumed.

"You okay, mate?" A voice asked. Jake turned to find Baylee beside him. He removed the oxygen mask over his face and set it down.

"Where's Callie?" He asked, neglecting the former question.

"She's right over there. She's gonna be okay. You did good, mate." Baylee replied.

"Who would do this...? D-did you find anything...?" Jake inquired.

"Only the culprit himself." Baylee stated, sweeped her hair over her shoulder.

"So...he's been arrested?" Jake saw Baylee nod.

"Behind bars. Too bad we had to lose eight kats to his attack." She said soberly.

"W-what...? You mean...who?" Jake gasped in disbelief.

"A few enforcers, one of those kats who tried to get money from you, a teacher, and a few others." Baylee muttered with a sigh.

"And Chance...is he...?"

"He's alright, mate. He took quite a wallop from that bloke, fighting him."

"He's a good guy..." Jake admitted. "Despite a few things...but I know he means well." Baylee agreed to that.

"Well, I'm gonna go check up on him. You take care of yourself, mate." She told him. With that she strode off.

"Is this your block?" Mrs Furlong asked Baylee as the car made a right turn onto a neat little neighborhood. Baylee took an observative glance out the window.

"This is it. 2312." She replied. The car pulled up next to the curb and Baylee climbed out. Chance followed.

"Call me if anything's wrong, okay?" Mrs Furlong told her son. Chance scoffed, embarassed.

"Yeah, yeah." He shut the door. Baylee and Chance walked up the drive way to the front door as the car pulled away.

"Why have you been so...I dunno...harsh to her lately, mate?" Baylee asked.

"I haven't been harsh to her. I'm just frustr-...I...forget it. It's no big deal." Chance replied.

"Alright, now I know something's up." Baylee stated, unlocking the door and going inside. Chance followed. He acted as though he wanted to say something.

"And...? You don't don't want to talk about it." Baylee went on. Chance smiled a little at her quick-perception. It faded with a heavy sigh.

"Come on upstairs and I'll fill you in." He submitted. They climbed the stairs to Baylee's room and shut the door. Chance made a beeline for the beanbag chair and dropped onto it. Baylee sat on the bed with her legs crossed.

"So, what's the big thorn-in-Chance's-side?" She asked. Chance hesitated.

"I...I just found out...that my mom isn't my mom." He confessed. Baylee's green eyes widened.

"Go on...?"

"And...she has no idea who my real parents are."

"So...why are you taking it out on her?"

"I don't know. I guess I was just...mad at her cause she never told me...I mean, I went fifteen years not knowing who my dad was...and I still don't know." Chance replied, leaning against the wall with his legs tucked up against him. He suddenly felt stupid for the tears that dared to brim his eyes. He blinked a few times and hoped Baylee wouldn't notice. Baylee could tell however. She nodded, watching him for a moment.

"I always did wonder about that." She abruplty blurted.

"What?"

"Oh please, mate. You're honey blonde for bloody sake. Both your mom and your sister have pitch black hair."

"'Doesn't mean anything."

"Yeah it does." Baylee persisted. Chance shook his head, smiling.

"Red-head."

"Blondie." Baylee retorted.

"Come on, let's drop by Jake's and see how he's holding up." Chance suggested, getting up.

"Right behind you, big guy." Baylee agreed.

**So...tell me what you thought of this chapter. That's all I have to say.**


	10. Epilogue

_~Epilogue~_

"I'll show them!" Harry told himself, climbing the fire escape to the top of a sky-touching building. Night had fallen. The city was lit up with neon signs and squares of yellow in every window. The wind blew against Harry as he mounted to the rooftop, standing against the breeze.

"I'll show them all!" He exclaimed.

"This is for what you did to me Baylee. You and you're friends, your family...one day you'll all fall before me!" He raced to the edge of the building.

"You hear me, Megakat City! A storm is coming! And I'm ready! One day you'll pay for what you've done to me!" He shouted as freezing rain began to fall.

"I'm your enemy! I'm ready for whatever you throw at me!" He screamed into the wind.

"Are you...?" He asked with a chuckle. Without another word he walked away in the rain.

**Very short! But it was an epilogue anyway. My appologies.**

**And that's my theory on where Hard Drive came from. ...and a little headcanon about Chance's past as well. I pretty much started this whole story with a simple idea: I want to do a SWAT Kat High School scenario. I guess I got carried away. Anyway, I had fun writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you did make sure to Favorite, Follow, Review, ect. **

**No flames, those of you who don't like oc x char pairings, you are entitled to your opinions and I will respect your opinions because I happen to be a decent person, wouldn't you know? But know that it's much, much harder to appreciate somebody's opinion if they go around bashing mine. Chew on that for a while.**

**Anyway, -later!**


End file.
